▪️Defending champions Police and KDF each have eight boxers in the finals of the 2026 boxing league opener but the women’s participation is merely an exhibition act because their points are not counted as it happens in the Kenya Open. Why?
May 16, 2026
The exclusion of women’s bouts from overall league points scoring is a longstanding contentious issue in the Kenya National Boxing League which needs to be sorted out in the 2026 season.
For instance, in the first leg of the 2026 league opener in Nakuru, defending champions Police and KDF have eight boxers each in the final but the two women in KDF, Veronica Mbithe and Friza Asiko, will not score points for their team because women’s participation in the league is still a merely exhibition act yet at the IBA Africa Zone 3 Championships in 2025, Mbithe and Asiko won gold medals which were part of Kenya’s overall medals rally.
So, why is this not happening in the Kenya National Boxing League?
In addition to KDF, teams from Nairobi, Prisons and Sombea have women taking part in the finals but their participation is just a formality, or flower girls if you like.
Despite female pugilists proving their mettle and forming an integral part of the clubs, this policy undermines the true depth of teams like KDF by rendering their women’s victories meaningless for the championship title.
The ongoing rivalry between KDF and the Police highlights the unfairness of the current system.
Interestingly, women’s points are counted in the National Kenya Open Championships .
For instance in the 2025 Kenya Open, Police emerged overall winners with 24 points closely followed by KDF 23, Prisons 11, Nairobi and Siaya jointly fourth with 9, Kibra 6, Kisumu 4, Kongowea and Nakuru 2 each.
Police won the men’s title on 21pts, KDF 16, Prisons 11, Nairobi 7, Siaya and Kibra 3 each, Kisumu, Kongowea and Nakuru 2 each.
In women’s category, KDF topped with 7 points, Siaya 6, Police and Kibra 3 each, Kisumu, Nairobi and Meru 2 each.
When you look at the overall points tally, the women’s points were included. So why the discrimination in the male-dominated national league?
While both teams field elite female fighters, the women’s category does not contribute to the overall national league points that determine the ultimate club champion.
Female boxers put in the same gruelling hours of training, make significant sacrifices, and proudly represent their respective teams in the ring. However, by strictly assigning league points to the men’s categories, the Boxing Federation of Kenya essentially treats women’s participation as an exhibition rather than a vital component of the sport.
This discrimination strips women of the tangible recognition they deserve. It tells these boxers that while they are welcome to compete, their achievements are secondary to the men’s divisions.
The consensus among critics, coaches, analysts and the boxers themselves is that women are part and parcel of the league and deserve equal weight in scoring. BFK have no choice but to overhaul the scoring system by fully integrating women into the points tally to ensure female boxers earn the same institutional backing as their male counterparts.
For the sport to grow inclusively in Kenya, the federation will need to evaluate a framework that aggregates all points, regardless of gender, accurately reflecting a club’s total competitive prowess.
Gender issue aside, three bouts are among the highlights in the finals on Saturday, May 16. The bantamweight bout featuring Kenya Open champion Dennis Muthama of KDF vs Prisons’ Chris Musyoka will be a thriller; si will the featherweight fight in which Kenya Open champion Chris Juma of Kasarani Youth will face IBA Africa Zone 3 silver medallist Mwinyi Kombo for the third time having defeated Kombo in the Kenya Open finals. It’s now 2-1 for Chris after his loss to Kombo in the 2024 Kenya Open finals.
Sparks will fly in the light-welterweight division pitting Prisons’ 2024 Africa Championships bronze medalist Aloice Vincent vs Sombea’s pressure fighter Ayub Waweru.
